We Taste-Tested and Compared North American and Asian Childhood Snacks

Who will reign supreme in the battle of snacks?

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Snacks were a huge part of everyone’s childhood. A taste of your favorite snack brings back fond memories of trading with your friends during lunch time or paying your nearest corner store a mere penny for a snack.

Wherever you may have grown up these colorful, yummy, and artificial snacks are sure to evoke feelings of nostalgia.

1. Cheetos vs. Shrimp Chips

Photo by Maria Clemente

Cheetos are a classic; you can have them cheesy or flaming’ hot. But the best part, they are sure to leave your fingers covered with cheesy flavor dust goodness.

Shrimp chips are definitely less messy. Skeptics may frown at the sight of seafood but the snack offers that satisfying umami flavor.

Although Shrimp Chips are a good contender, nothing beats licking your fingers after eating a bag of Cheetos (you’re lying to yourself if you deny it).

Winner: Cheetos

2. Dunkaroos vs. Yan Yan

Photo by Maria Clemente

These two childhood snacks are the fun ones that you gotta dip before you eat. Or, if you really knew what was up, you ate the frosting – no biscuits necessary.

3. Jell-O Snack Packs vs. Assorted Jellies

Photo by Maria Clemente

Finding these in your lunch bags were the ultimate day-maker. While Jell-O Snack Packs were bigger and needed a #spoon to be eaten like a civilized human, Assorted Jellies were mini versions that meant you can eat five or maybe 10 at a time.

4. Animal Crackers vs. Hello Pandas

Let’s put it this way, one of these involves chocolate. One is dry, boring and flavorless. Need I say more?

Winner: Hello Pandas

5. Starburst vs. Hi-Chew

Photo courtesy of playbuzz.com

This one can be tough because of their extremely close similarity; both offer juicy and fruity flavors. But some have proclaimed otherwise, stating that Hi-Chew is the “smarter, sexier, tastier Japanese cousin” of Starburst. One can’t possibly argue with that description.

Winner: Hi-Chew

Photo by Maria Clemente

6. Milk vs. Yakult

Photo by Maria Clemente

Throwback to the days of those celebrities with milk mustaches plastered all over your middle school hallways. Milk is a hallmark of our growth, quite literally.

Yakult didn’t receive the same extravagant campaign besides the lady on your street who would yell out “YAKULT!!!” over and over until you came out of your house.

Winner: Milk

Photo courtesy of Prairie Farms

7. Cocoa Puffs vs. Koko Krunch

Photo Courtesy of Buzzfeed.com

If spelling’s high on your rubric, then we have an obvious winner in this category. But if it isn’t, the shapes of these are the biggest difference. Cocoa Puffs were perfectly round while Koko Krunch’s shape might have slightly injured the roofs of your mouth.